Opinion Contributor

Blame Norquist, not Founders

Everyone recognizes that Washington is not working the way it should. This has led some on the left, like Harold Meyerson, to question whether the Founders “screwed up.”

Many on the right, meanwhile, are promoting radical changes to our constitutional system. They talk about a version of a Balanced Budget Amendment, which would require a super-majority for most changes in financial policy. This would enshrine in our Constitution the right’s do-little government philosophy.

Text Size

-

+

reset

POLITICO 44

But the Constitution is not the problem. If we want to get Washington working again, we should listen to the Founders — not blame them for problems of our own making or change the ground rules of the system of government they bequeathed to us.

True, the Founders established a deliberative democracy, with a series of checks and balances designed to prevent the majority from running roughshod over the rights of political minorities. But these checks and balances have served our nation well.

The problem is not the democratic system bestowed upon us by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. The problem is the additional obstacles to action – the filibuster, hyper-partisanship, and special interest pledges – that our Founders would have found abhorrent.

Our Founders struck a delicate balance between the promotion of majority rule – the essential predicate for a democratic government of “We the People” – and the desire to protect minority rights and prevent the “tyranny of the majority.” The Constitution is designed to delay and temper majority rule while allowing a long-standing majority to get its way.

So, for example, the Constitution staggers the election of senators so that only one third of the Senate can change hands in any one election. As a result, it usually takes more than one election for any one party to gain a governing majority.

Modern politicians have placed layer after layer of lard on this deliberative system of government, ultimately producing the gridlock now plaguing Washington. The Senate Republicans now use the filibuster rule as a virtual requirement. Every piece of legislation must enjoy a super-majority of 60 votes in the Senate — meaning a determined minority can permanently stop the majority from getting its way.

President George Washington, in his farewell address to the nation, warned about just such “alterations” to our constitutional system. He said this would “impair the energy of the system.”

Readers' Comments (128)

Who is this guy and how did he get to be the boss of the country? I thought we elected a president to take care of the country. This is not anyway to run a country. I think he should have his citizenship taken away from him and sent to a place that wants an evil person like him.

Maybe even in these divided political times we can all agree that when casting blame for what ails Washington, the fault it not with George Washington and our other Founding Fathers. It’s with the causes of our current gridlock – including figures like Norquist and his no-tax pledge.”

I blame the ones who signed the pledge. If they had courage of their convictions - which a few do - they would not have fed this man's ego.

What is wrong with our government is - MONEY - it has been bought, and is no lobger for we, the people. The Supreme court doesn't even pretend to be impartial any more - any of us can predict how they will vote.

In 2010 the GOP gave us the Pledge to America. So far they have done nothing like their Contract to America before. Yet they sign a pledge with some nut job and this they fight for. Country and people mean nothing to them just their pledge to protect the top 2%.

Congress nothing but a cesspool. In 2010 the GOP ran on jobs now they only run from creating jobs.

The problem is not the democratic system bestowed upon us by George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and James Madison. The problem is the additional obstacles to action – the filibuster, hyper-partisanship, and special interest pledges – that our Founders would have found abhorrent.

That is right, the filibuster rule must be revoked. Hyper-partisanship and special interest pledges creates gridlock.

`BamaDon: Oct. 22, 2011 - 10:00 PM EST

I blame the ones who signed the pledge. If they had courage of their convictions - which a few do - they would not have fed this man's ego.

What is wrong with our government is - MONEY - it has been bought, and is no lobger for we, the people. The Supreme court doesn't even pretend to be impartial any more - any of us can predict how they will vote.

Ok, so, lots and lots of people know this is where our country is right now...but it is still a near impossible task to get people to get out to vote the Party of No out of our misery. Act as if this coming election matters. Get out to vote, get others out to vote and get the Republicans out of the way until they can re-learn how important it is to put country first.

Shallow and stupid "analysis", the author just plain doesnt care for the inconvenience of democracy. If legislators signed a pledge to not increase taxes they are free to ignore it at any time, but for ignoring what their voters want they will very likely get creamed. As the point of a representative republic is to elect representatives who vote and advocate the will of their constituents, at the root of it the writer is whining about democracy itself.

Complaints about the filibuster before Obama's term- 0. Previous presidents accepted its existence and certainly didnt cry about it. The new group sent to Washington ran against runaway spending, additional taxation, and a federal government that has become a bloated monstrosity so they are doing what their consitutents sent them for- trying to clamp down on spending and refusing to feed the monster any further. Now the left boo hoos endlessly because evidently without 90 senators, 450 representatives, 8 of 9 Supreme court justices and the Whtie House they are unable to do as they please. When they were in opposition during the Bush years they did nothing whatsoever to ameliorate his worst moves- ME wars and the Patriot Act particularly- instead they voted for them overwhelmingly before hypocritically pretending they didnt support them later.

The cries of the vapid and clueless to further increase debt at a time when Europe is about to quite literally fall apart due to soveriegn debt are being fought tooth and nail because it is literally a matter of survival in the not too distant future. People have become so spoiled they think we can get out of this disaster which has been building for 40 years without massive pain, and it simply is not possible. The credit and debt fueled American Dream is ending and cold hard reality is on the horizon.

Those opposing the debt strenuously are doing so as it is what their constituents want, and they will be returned to office. Get used to it, you folks may need to stock up on Kleenex to dry your tears.

Even anti-tax Republicans, like Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Rep, Frank Wolf, have now decried the overd role Norquist’s no new taxes pledge played in forcing the debt ceiling showdown and helping to prevent any solution that would have included new revenues. Coburn and others have warned their colleagues against putting Norquist’s “no–tax” pledge over their oath to support the Constitution and to serve “we the people” – not Norquist or any other special interests.

Those foolish congressional representatives who abrogated their 'Oath of Office" in favor of a "Pledge to a Lobbyist" have stopped and have foolishly fallen into the hands of the architect of the failed policy of "Starve the Beast" which has been such a disaster for OUR country. The Lobbyist's "Pledge" has been the catalyst for the massive spending and huge growth in the of government and most of all the huge spike in OUR National Debt.

All of that can be laid at the feet of the corporate shill and Lobbyist Grover Norquist. And yet, still more fools who would be the representative of "We the People" sign the "Pledge" which makes a shame of their "Oath of Office".

We don't have a spending problem, we have a PAYING FOR IT problem! For those who have spent recklessly are now refusing to pay for what they've spent!

The GOP - The Party of, "I'll get the check, NEXT time!"

"I believe that to a large extent our current budgetary problems stem from the widespread adoption of an idea by Republicans in the 1970s called "starve the beast." It says that the best, perhaps only, way of reducing government spending is by reducing taxes. While a plausible strategy at the time it was formulated, STB became a substitute for serious budget control efforts, reduced the political cost of deficits, encouraged fiscally irresponsible tax cutting and ultimately made both spending and deficits larger." - Bruce Bartlett

Mr. Kendall, there is a glaring omission from your essay. This omission problem is if left liberal socialists did not inflict massive tax hikes upon American citizens there would be no need for a "no tax" pledge. This pledge is a direct result of your left liberal tax and spend policies which are driving American families into the Poor House.

Your insane tax and spend policies are so extreme, I understand you boys are looking at taxing natural methane gas emissions from the serious business end of cows. This is not a good place for you to look, this is like looking a gift horse in the wrong end.

There is a more serious problem, Mr. Kendall. This very serious problem is you are an extreme left liberal socialist working at subverting our American system of government.

Your "Constitutional Accountability Center" is feverishly working at forcing a "progressive" interpretation of our Constitution. As you know, our politically charged word "progressive" is a less offensive word for "socialism". You, Mr. Kendall, are actively calling for ripping up our Constitution then replacing this precious founding document of our nation with a socialist agenda. You intend to inflict socialist tyranny upon our home, America.

There is another equally serious problem, another omission from your socialist propaganda.

This other problem is your "Judging the Environment Project". This is an organization trying to install left liberal socialist federal judges and, if possible, have left liberal socialist judges appointed to our American Supreme Court.

Mr. Kendall, you are an extreme left liberal socialist working at subverting our American system of government. You cannot be trusted any further than I can flick a sticky booger.

As the world changes, it makes sense that our taxes would change. We need to have flexibility to shift the tax burden depending on circumstances. Pledges like Norquist's prevent leaders from doing what is right for the country. Those who sign such pledges are not only imbeciles, they're also traitors.

"Americans will pay more in taxes in 2011 than they will spend on groceries, clothing and shelter combined."

"Tax Freedom Day® will arrive on April 12 this year, the 102nd day of 2011. That means Americans will work well over three months of the year, from January 1 to April 12, before they have earned enough money to pay this year's tax obligations at the federal, state and local levels."

"A new analysis of research on corporate taxes finds that U.S. firms consistently have among the highest effective tax rate in the world."

---

...and Obama continues to inflict $billions in new taxes to finance his socialist agenda.

Clearly Okpulot Taha - Choctaw Nation - must consider them "extreme left liberal socialist working at subverting our American system of government."

The lack of an effective Congressional to power to tax and borrow was the reason the delegates to the Continental Congress from Virginia sought to change the Articles of Confederation, which resulted in the Constitution being written and ratified.

Norquist and the Republicans are objecting to the Constitution and siding with Rhode Island that refused to ratify until threatened with tariffs charged on its exports to the other 12 States.

Shallow and stupid "analysis", the author just plain doesnt care for the inconvenience of democracy. If legislators signed a pledge to not increase taxes they are free to ignore it at any time, but for ignoring what their voters want they will very likely get creamed. As the point of a representative republic is to elect representatives who vote and advocate the will of their constituents, at the root of it the writer is whining about democracy itself.

please produce the pledge legislators signed with their constituents? norquest is but one "voter" and he is entitled to only one "vote" and i certainly doubt he is able to vote in multi congressional jurisdictions. ATR is a nonprofit, 501(c)(4) lobbying organization. The Americans for Tax Reform Foundation is a 501c(3) research and educational organization.

From the "Tax Foundation", non-partisan since 1937:

"Americans will pay more in taxes in 2011 than they will spend on groceries, clothing and shelter combined."

well someone had best get busy cause it ain't happend yet... The Tax Foundation - Number of Americans Outside the Income Tax ... [System continues to grow]- that was 2005! today 50% of americans made less than $26,500 in 2010.